By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The parents and students of Rochas Foundation College Zaria, Kaduna State have celebrated the love and kindness of founder, Senator Rochas Okorocha for the less privileged and appealed for more partnerships to reduce out-of-school children in Nigeria.
They made the appeal separately during the joint commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and the Valentine’s Day.
The event was organized by the college on Friday in Zaria.
Malam Mohammed Bamalli a father appealed for more partnership from other philanthropists with the foundation to strengthen school enrollment, enhance the services provided by the foundation and foster national development.
“If we had similar gesture from other partners, it will inculcate the habit of giving to the needy in the students who are the future leaders thereby, enhancing national unity,” he said.
Bamalli said Valentine’s Day is meant to celebrate kindness and love and that is what the founder of the college has exhibited to the students.
He said the college which commenced operation in 2017/2018 session with about 200 students who were orphans and less privileged, has about 700 students now and they are enjoying free and qualitative education.
He therefore, appealed to other parents to complement the foundation’s efforts by ensuring that their children attend school regularly and provide uniforms and shoes, especially when the ones provided by the college become tattered.
Malama Amina Kabir, who spoke on behalf of the mothers, commended the presentation by the students, as well as teachers for impacting the life of their children.
She also re-echoed the need by parents especially mothers, to encourage their children to attend classes on time by providing little token as transport fare for their children to be in school.
Earlier, Hafsat Ibrahim on behalf of the students, described the founder of the college as an icon of love and humility, a role model, supporter, giver and a father with difference.
“Daddy you are a person with diamond heart not a gold heart, a heart that shines and makes others shine from it, a heart that can never be broken,’’ she said.
Ibrahim said as beneficiaries of Okorocha’s benevolent gesture which makes most of their moments extra ordinary, they (students) pray for God to keep and preserve him in joy and endless blessings.
While speaking on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Hajiya Rabi’at Ibrahim, Principal of the college, said they encourage students, especially the female to be scientists.
The principal added that the encouragement is aimed at enabling them explore emerging opportunities in science and technology.
“It is a known fact that we have shortage of manpower in the health sector, encouraging girls to study sciences would eventually bridge the gap in the human resources for health,’’ she said.
The principal said the about 94 students are writing WAEC from the college this year and the founder has paid for their examination and JAMB.
She, therefore, said the prayers of over 30,000 students of the foundation across its 11 schools in Nigeria, will always protect the founder.
It would be recalled that on December 22, 2015, the UN General Assembly decided to establish an annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on 11 February, is implemented by UNESCO and UN-Women, in collaboration with institutions and partners.
